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Afghan Peace Process Inches Forward Amid Fresh Violence

Ayaz Gul

   ISLAMABAD - The Taliban freed a second batch of Afghan forces Thursday
   as part of a prisoner swap with the government in Kabul aimed at
   opening much-awaited peace talks between Afghan warring sides.

   The extremely slow pace of progress in a U.S.-initiated peace process
   comes as the defense ministry said an overnight Taliban assault on an
   Afghan National Army (ANA) post in the eastern Logar province had
   killed at least nine security personnel.

   "This attack was repelled by the brave forces of the ANA, and the
   Taliban attackers were defeated," the ministry said, adding that Afghan
   forces also inflicted heavy casualties on the insurgents, "and a number
   of their bodies remained on the battlefield."

   There was no immediate comment from the insurgent group on the Logar
   fighting.

   Prisoner swap and peace talks

   Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said in a statement Thursday that the
   group of 20 Afghan "soldiers and police personnel" were released near
   the capital of the eastern province of Laghman.

   Over the past week, the insurgent group has released a total of 40
   government detainees, and Kabul has freed 361 insurgent inmates.

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